The known gas discharge device (GB, A, 1399603, HO1J27/00, 1072) consists of an axially symmetric chamber with two face walls, one of which is fabricated partially transparent, a magnetic system producing inside the chamber a stationary non-uniform magnetic field and a HF power input unit connected to the HF generator. The HF power input unit is formed by at least two conductors of current.
Plasma generation in the known device is conducted by excitation in plasma waves in itself. In this case the effective HF power input in plasma is provided and satisfactory values of ionization coefficient are achieved at sufficiently low specific energy expenditures for ionization.
Resonance absorption of the input power occurs at the gas pressures (0.015-1.5 Pa) and values of magnetic field induction B less than 0.1 T1. However, under said conditions the plasma density increases considerably due to the decrease of the gas of the gas discharge device.
It is also known the gas discharge device (RU, application 95110327/07, published 10.08.96) which consists of a magnetic system producing in the discharge chamber a stationary axially-symmetric non-uniform magnetic field of which a magnetic induction decreases to the chamber axis of symmetry. The HF power input unit is formed by several conductors of current, for instance in the form of n-pole capacitor and is adapted for excitation of longitudinal irrotational electrical component of HF field in the chamber.
This construction gives an opportunity to excite plasma waves in itself by choosing the maximum value of magnetic field induction in the range from 0.01 to 0.05 TI and HF in the range from 40 to 100 MHZ. Resonance excitation of plasma waves in itself under said conditions gives an opportunity to increase an energy and gas efficiency of the gas discharge device.
The closest prototype of the invention is gas discharge device (GB, A, 2235086, HO1J 27/16,1991), consisting of a cylindrical chamber with one open face wall, a HF power supply unit formed with several conductors of current, which is located symmetrically on the lateral surface of the chamber, and a magnetic system providing in the chamber the stationary magnetic field of which the magnetic induction decreases not only in the radial direction towards the chamber axis of symmetry but also in the longitudinal direction from the position of power input unit.
The known gas discharge device gives an opportunity to increase the efficiency of the power input due to the choice of the optimal magnetic field configuration a nd the construction of the power input unit.
However all above mentioned devices do not provide the full utilization (for ionization of the working body) of the input power.